The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Flour Water Salt Yeast

Jane Dough's picture
Jane Dough

Flour Water Salt Yeast

Happy New Year All!

For Christmas I received a copy of Forkish's "Flour Water Salt Yeast".  This weekend I baked a loaf of the Field Grain #2.  I followed formula and timings pretty much right on.  I haven't cut the loaf yet so no crumb shot.  However despite being a fairly high hydration loaf, it was not too bad to work with.  I am very satisfied with the baked product.

What leaves me scratching my head is why he recommends making that huge bucket of levain and telling one to dump the "spent fuel".  I find it hard to believe that someone whose business is FWS would toss a large quantity of the same.  I almost feel insulted at the suggestion that that's what I should do.  Needless to say I worked with my own starter and built the levain in an amount that did not require a huge sacrifice of flour and water. 

Comments

jeano's picture
jeano

Like his formulas, ignore the ridiculous 'spent fuel' instructions. (Maybe he's a minion of Big Flour and gets a cut of the profits.) 

My septic system's loss is my gain, and Ken will never know.

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

same as what he uses to make his bread - must be spent fuel bread too!.  I suggest that we pay no attention to his levain builds too.  People really are starving all over the world and I do not want to be contributing to it.   But, as a bread libertarian, I say Ken can do what ever he wants no matter how wasteful and ridiculous he looks,

Glad you figured out Ken so fast - It is amazing how great your bread looks when not following his levain build :-) 

Obzokie's picture
Obzokie

It appears to me that most of  the comments regarding FWSY levain maintenance are that there is too much shrinkage.  I was looking to bake one of the hybrid doughs, and from reading the formula I see the Tartine levain method will provide  a sufficient quantity without the wastage.  Which leaves me scratching my head as he says he used to bake with Chad. 

Does it produce a greater concentration of yeast?  I'm new to bread baking, perhaps someone with greater knowledge could shed some light.  Thanks.

Ps.  Your loaf looks lovely.  I can only hope mine comes out half as good.